Interview Questions for Business Analysts and Systems Analysts


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INTERVIEW QUESTION:

Share a time when you had to change the mind of the business stakeholder. Why did you have to do it? How did you do it?

Posted by Chris Adams

Article Rating // 11705 Views // 0 Additional Answers & Comments

Categories: Business Analysis, Systems Analysis, General, Requirements Management and Communication (BABOK KA)

ANSWER

As you share your actual experiences with an interviewer, realize that they are more than likely performing the BA role or have done so in the past. You cannot fake this answer. I used an example in which I had to convince the business stakeholder that their business outcome was still being met albeit with a minor change to the presentation, i.e. a shorter message text. The solution design was constrained due to legacy system design and actually provided the least costly approach to providing business value. However, we had to come up with a shorter message than the one we had run through legal approval. In explaining the solution to the business team, I used a swimlanes process flow along with mockups of the message display and, most importantly, stuck to my messaging.

So, as you respond to a question like this, keep the following center of mind:

  • Business outcomes must be met - explain how value is still being provided
  • Use visuals - process flows, mockups, both is best
  • Stick to the messaging - don't let someone rattle you

If you do not have any real world experience, be honest. You can fall back to the question "How do you explain a complex technical solution to non-technical stakeholders?" which provides key details around using mock ups and process flows to accomplish a similar task as I described above.

--
Beverly Mundy Weable
Senior Consultant
LinkedIn Profile

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Do your homework prior to the business analysis interview!

Having an idea of the type of questions you might be asked during a business analyst interview will not only give you confidence but it will also help you to formulate your thoughts and to be better prepared to answer the interview questions you might get during the interview for a business analyst position.  Of course, just memorizing a list of business analyst interview questions will not make you a great business analyst but it might just help you get that next job.

 



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